Picking GCSEs

Made With Tagxedo 

It’s that time of year again, or at least it is in my school, where the year nine are starting to pick their courses for next year. It can be a pretty big thing. I remember about this time last year when my year group were told that this was going to be one of the first ‘grown up’ decisions that we make. For a lot of people, including me, that didn’t really help but it did make us realise that it is something that you do have to take seriously. 

The amount of courses that you are able to pick will vary from school to school but no matter how many option pools that you have, you need to think about the pros and cons of the subjects that you are considering to take. If you have an idea in mind of what you want to do in the future that can sometimes help a lot when you’re trying to narrow down your option pools. If your school has an Options Evening and you’ve gone to it or are going to it then try to keep in mind what your teachers have said to you. Or if you haven’t gone to your Options Evening or your school doesn’t have one then just talk to your teachers about it. 

Go to the teachers you are potentially teaching the subjects that you want to take and just ask them what the course would entail and what the coursework is like, if there are any exams included in the course and what sort of thing you would be learning about. Another thing that I personally found quite useful is if you know people I the year above you or have brothers or sisters that have taken the courses you are thinking of taking then talk to them as well. Sometimes, teachers will sell their subjects as much as possible because they want to see the numbers of that subject rise but people who have taken it will give you an honest answer as to what they thought of the course. But, you shouldn’t let that be the only thing that dictates whether you take the subject or not. 

Never let what your friends are doing make you decided what you are though. They are not you. They might not like the same things you do or may not what to go into the same line of work as you and that’s okay. You’ll make friends in the classes. Trust me. I know it seems like an unlikely thing to happen considering the fact that you have been in school for about four years at the time. But you’ve probably spent a lot of your lessons in your form class and there are still probably a lot of people who you don’t talk to in your year group, or it might just be a few. Still though, if someone has taken the same subject as you they at least have that common interest with you and that’s something you can talk to them about. Even if you only end up talking to them in that class. Pick a subject that you want to pick no matter what your friends think of it. If you end up being in the same class as your friends that’s great but don’t choose subject solely based on that. 

Look at subjects that both interest you and you think you will do well in. You want to be able to come out of year eleven knowing that you enjoyed the courses that you chose to take and that you have done your best in all of them. If you think that a subject isn't best suited to you and you're probably going to spend the next two year bored out of your skull then don't take it because to years is a long time to sit in a classroom where you're trying to get a qualification. 

Your school, and your family and there to support you and help you make the best possible decision for yourself so talk to them. Think about it, ask people on Twitter that you know have picked their options if you want to. There are so many ways of getting information about your year ten and eleven courses so look into them and then make a decision. No one is forcing you to take a subject that you don’t want to take. 

Take your time, take care in picking and good luck!